Punch type container opener with handle extension



Dec. 23, 1952 c. w. HEINLE EIAL 2,622,318

PUNCH TYPE CONTAINER OPENER WITH HANDLE EXTENSION Filed Dec. 26, 1950 l VAL TEEJ0055/M35R0.

. BY M $5M Patented Dec. 23, 1952 PUNCH TYPE CONTAINER OPENER WITH HANDLE EXTENSION Carl W. Heinle, East r ange, and Walter J. Dobbins, 3rd, Little Falls, N. J assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 26, 1950, Serial No. 202,596

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a container opening device and more specifically to a punch type container opener which is made from a single blank smaller in size than the conventional blank and which has a portion of the handle material struck-out and bent upon itself in a direction away from the punch end to form a handle extension, thus effecting considerable economy of blank material and yet providing a full length manipulating handle.

An object of the invention is the provision of a one-piece punch type container opener wherein a full length handle is produced for the opener by taking metal out of an abbreviated primary handle and folding it into a handle extension so that a relatively small, economical blank-may be used in producing the opener, thereby efiecting a considerable saving in the material used without impairing the utility of the opener.

Another object is the provision of such an economical container opener wherein the metal taken out of the abbreviated primary handle is bent back substantially into the plane of the primary handle and is formed with a reinforcing loop terminating in abutting engagement with the primary handle to reinforce the handle extension against bending when in use.

Another object is the provision of such a container opener wherein the struck-out, bent-back portion of the primary handle is disposed in spaced relation to the primary handle to fit it for the dual function of serving as a handle extension and an auxiliary opener for removing crown caps from bottles and the like.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a punch type can opening device embodying the instant invention and showing a handle extension that is formed by striking out a portion of the primary handle and folding the struck portion in a direction away from the punching end;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the opener in Fig. 1 showing a connecting loop pressed into reinforcing abutment against the primary handle adjacent the terminal part thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a modified form of the invention in which the handle extension is spaced from the primary handle to form not only a handle extension but also a cap removing device; and

Fig. 4 is a view of the modified opener of Fig. 3 shown in position for removing a crown cap from a bottle neck.

The present invention is an improvement on a punch type can opener of the kind described in the Sampson-Hothersall Patent 1,996,550 is- I sued April 2, 1935, which opener is adapted to be pivoted or fulcrumed on a projecting rim of a container to punch or cut a dispensing opening in the container when the opener is rocked on its pivot or fulcrum.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, the drawings disclose a punch type container opener made preferably from a relatively economically dimensioned metal blank of substantially flat, rectangular sheet or bar stock of sufficient thickness and strength for the intended purpose. The major portion of the blank constitutes a primary handle ll. At one end of the primary handle, and preferably integral therewith, is a punch or cutting member or head l2, which has tapering side walls converging to a cutting point l3 and which is disposed at an angle to the plane of one of the flat surfaces of the primary handle I I. The punch member has an upstanding hump or node [4 to provide a recess for receiving a container rim or seam and to serve as a pivot member for the opener when applied to a container to be opened.

A rim or seam engaging lug I5 is struck out adjacent a central longitudinal line of the punch member, partially from the primary handle H and partially from the hump or node N. One end of lug It remains integral with the handle and the other end is severed completely from the hump and is bent in the direction of the cutting member l3. Description of additional structural details of the cutting member may be found in the Sampson-Hothersall patent referred to hereinbefore.

In order to provide a handle for the opener of sufficient length to manipulate the punch head in opening a container, an integral handle extension I6 is formed by striking out a' portion of the primary handle H. Beginning adjacent lug i5 and continuing to a locality l'l adjacent the terminus of the primary handle opposed from the punch member, a rectangular section of metal of the primary handle is completely severed along three sides, as defined by a cross wall It and longitudinal walls 59 and 283. The fourth side 2| of the handle extension is preferably retained integral with the primary handle. The severed section is turned back on itself to form the handle extension it which extends substantially in line with and terminates rearwardly of the primary handle.

At the juncture between the primary handle H and the extension It a relatively small loop 22 (Fig. 2) is formed. The loop 22 is pressed into abutting engagement at 23 against the terminal section of the primary handle to reinforce the handle. In this manner an elongated integral composite handle is provided for the implement, which handle includes the extension l6 and the primary handle portion H which latter is comprised of longitudinal side members or portions 24 and 25 and cross members or portions 26, 2'! and which. members are integral with each other, so as to preserve a high degree of the strength of the original blank. It is preferable to have the loop 22 depend from the surface of the primary handle H which constitutes the underside when the opener is in can punching position, for the reason that when the implement including the handle extension I 6 isrocked upwardly to cut open a container, the handle extension is moved arcuately in the same direction as the primary handle, so that there is no tendency to separate the handle extension from the primary handle. Thus, the strain on the metal attendant the opening action will be borne jointly by the primary handle II and handle extension iii.

The handle extension may be perforated as at 28 to provide an aperture or opening for hanging the opener on a nail or other supporting device.

In the modified form of the invention, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the structure of the cutting member or punch head is the same or similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2. The handle extension 3| is formed in the manner above described. However, the primary handle and the extension are integrally joined together in a slightly different manner so as to cause the handle extension to serve an additional function. Instead of the loop 22 and the abutment 23, the metal which integrally connects the primary handle H with the handle extension 3| is more widely curved at 32 and then extends rear'wardly in substantial parallelism with the primary handle H to provide a device for levering off the caps of bottles or similar closures. The distance between the primary handle and its extension is so proportioned by the curved wall 32 that it is only slightly greater than the distance from the top surface to the bottom of the skirt of a crimped crown cap, or the height of the cap.

For removing a crown cap from a container, the opener is placed in the position of Fig. 4 in which the terminal end edge 33 of the primary handle H is placed beneath the skirt 34 of the cap and engages the wall of a container neck 35. The handle extension 3i is supported by and is in contact with the top surface 35' or the cap. By rocking the opener upwardly, pressure is applied against the skirt 3d of the cap and the latter is lifted or levered off until it is completely removed from the container neck. When the opener of Fig. 3 is to be used for cutting the top wall of a container the extension 3i is disposed on the underside of the opener. In this position the bottle cap removing parts 3!, 32 also serve with the handle portion II as a full handle for the punch members l2 through [5, with the sharp members [3 and 15 extending away from the users hand to minimize danger of cutting the usershand.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We-claim:

1. A punch type container opener made from a blank smaller than a conventional blank to conserve material used, comprising in combination, a relatively short primary handle, a container cutting punch head at one end of said primary handle, and a handle extension formed from a struck-out portion of said primary handle, said handle extension projecting from said primary handle in a direction away from said punch head and beyond the terminal end of said primary handle to provide a full handle of sufiicient length to manipulate said punch head in opening a container.

2. A punch type container opener produced from a relatively short blank to conserve material used, comprising in combination, a relatively short primary handle, a container opening punch head at one end of saidprimary handle, and a handle extension formed from a struck-out portion of said primary handle, said handle extension projecting from said primary handle in a direction away from said punch head and beyond the terminal end of said primary handle to provide a full handle of sufiicient length to manipulate said punch in opening a container, said handle extensionbeing connected to said primary handle inwardly of the terminal end ofsaid primary handle by a re-inforcing loop depending from the under side of said handle and" abutting against the terminal end of said handle for reinforcing said handle extension against bending when in use.

3. A punch type container opener made from a single metal blank of relatively short length to effect economy of metal, comprising in combination, av relatively short main handle, a punch head formed integrally at one end of saidhandle and projecting laterally therefrom, a container engaging lug struck from said handle and proj ecting substantially in the same direction as said head, a band of metal severed longitudinally from the central portion of said handle on all sides but one, said band being bent rearwardly away from said head and handle first in a curved line and then in a straight line to form a handle extension which is substantially parallel with said main handle and of a length suflicient to form with short main handle a full length handle to permit manipulation of said opener into and out of container opening position.

4. A container opening implement produced from a relatively short blank to conserve material, comprising a relatively short primary handle having a container'op'ening punchv head at one endthereof, and anintegral handle extension formed from a struck-out portion of said primary handle, said handle extension being connected'by an inner curved portion thereof to said primary handle inwardly of the terminal end of the latter and projecting longitudinally therefrom in a. di'rection'away from said punch head and beyond the' 'termin'al' end of the primary handle, said handle extension being disposed in laterally offset spaced parallel relation to: said primary handle and constituting therewith a full handle and levering structure of sufiici-ent length to manipulate said implement for container opening purposes.

CARL W. HEINLE. WALTER J DOBBINS, 3RD.

REFERENCES CITED" The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Um'ritn STATES PA'I'ENTS 

